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Plant Cell Reports Feb 2021The doubled haploid technique aims to generate pure inbred lines for basic research and as commercial cultivars. The doubled haploid technique first generates haploid... (Review)
Review
The doubled haploid technique aims to generate pure inbred lines for basic research and as commercial cultivars. The doubled haploid technique first generates haploid plants and is followed by chromosome doubling, which can be separated in time or overlapped, depending the procedure for each species. For a long time, much effort has been focused on haploid production via androgenesis, gynogenesis, or parthenogenesis. The obtention of haploid plants has frequently required more optimization and has lagged behind research and improvements in chromosome doubling methods. Nevertheless, chromosome doubling has recently been of renewed interest to increase the rates and efficiency of doubled haploid plant production through trialing and optimizing of different procedures. New antimitotic compounds and application methods are being studied to ensure the success of chromosome doubling once haploid material has been regenerated. Moreover, a haploid inducer-mediated CRISPR/Cas9 genome-editing system is a breakthrough method in the production of haploid plant material and could be of great importance for species where traditional haploid regeneration methods have not been successful, or for recalcitrant species. In all cases, the new deployment of this system will demand a suitable chromosome doubling protocol. In this review, we explore the existing doubled haploid and chromosome doubling methods to identify opportunities to enhance the breeding process in major crops.
Topics: CRISPR-Cas Systems; Chromosomes, Plant; Crops, Agricultural; Gene Editing; Haploidy; Parthenogenesis; Plant Breeding
PubMed: 32975636
DOI: 10.1007/s00299-020-02605-0 -
Theriogenology Aug 2023Zinc plays a crucial role in the growth and reproductive functions of animals. Despite the positive effects of zinc that have been reported in oocytes of cows, pigs,...
Zinc plays a crucial role in the growth and reproductive functions of animals. Despite the positive effects of zinc that have been reported in oocytes of cows, pigs, yaks, and other animals, the influence of zinc on sheep is little known. To investigate the effect of zinc on the in vitro maturation of sheep oocytes and subsequent parthenogenesis-activated embryonic development, we added different concentrations of zinc sulfate to the in vitro maturation (IVM) culture medium. The IVM culture medium with zinc improved the maturation of sheep oocytes and the subsequent blastocyst rate after parthenogenesis activation. Notably, it also enhanced the level of glutathione and mitochondrial activity while reducing levels of reactive oxygen species. Thus, zinc addition to the IVM medium improved the quality of oocytes with a positive effect on the subsequent development of oocytes and embryos.
Topics: Pregnancy; Female; Cattle; Swine; Animals; Sheep; In Vitro Oocyte Maturation Techniques; Zinc; Embryonic Development; Oocytes; Parthenogenesis; Dietary Supplements; Reactive Oxygen Species; Blastocyst
PubMed: 37210940
DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2023.04.025 -
Molecular Reproduction and Development Mar 2020This year, 2019, marks the centennial of embryologist E. E. Just's discovery of what is known as the fast block to polyspermy. Just's observation of the subtle changes... (Review)
Review
This year, 2019, marks the centennial of embryologist E. E. Just's discovery of what is known as the fast block to polyspermy. Just's observation of the subtle changes that occur at the egg's surface during fertilization (and in experimental parthenogenesis) led him to postulate that the egg, and indeed every cell, possesses a property he called independent irritability, which represents the cell's ability to respond in a physiologically-relevant way to a variety of signals or triggers. In this paper, I argue that Just's concept of independent irritability informed his contemporary Johannes Holtfreter as Holtfreter attempted to explain the phenomena of embryonic induction and competence and that Holtfreter, in turn, influenced Marc Kirschner and John Gerhart in their formulation of the theory of facilitated variation. Just's influence is especially evident in Gerhart and Kirschner's presentations of what they call weak linkage-a property of living systems that allows core processes and components to be mixed and matched in different ways to generate novel traits. Unfortunately, the connection between Holtfreter's work and Just's has remained hidden. This paper gives examples of phenomena that exhibit weak linkage, and it lays out the case that Just's concept of independent irritability, through Holtfreter, Gerhart, and Kirschner, has broadly infiltrated modern cell and developmental biology.
Topics: Animals; Cell Biology; Developmental Biology; Embryonic Induction; Female; History, 20th Century; History, 21st Century; Male; Oocytes; Polyploidy; Sperm-Ovum Interactions; Spermatozoa
PubMed: 31544316
DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23270 -
Journal of Economic Entomology Dec 2023The thrips Megalurothrips usitatus Bagnall and Frankliniella intonsa Trybom (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) are important pests in cowpea-growing areas of south China....
Parthenogenesis affects interspecific competition between Megalurothrips usitatus and Frankliniella intonsa (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in changing environment: evidence from life table study.
The thrips Megalurothrips usitatus Bagnall and Frankliniella intonsa Trybom (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) are important pests in cowpea-growing areas of south China. Parthenogenesis is an important reproductive form of thysanopterans, and plays an important role in maintaining population growth. To understand the developmental and reproductive characteristics of these 2 thrips species during parthenogenesis, we compared the age-stage life tables of M. usitatus and F. intonsa on cowpea pods under natural regimes during the summer and winter. The results showed that the total preadult period and total preoviposition period of M. usitatus were significantly longer than those of F. intonsa in both seasons. Moreover, longevity of adult M. usitatus (29.53 days) was shorter compared with adult F. intonsa (34.00 days) in summer, whereas higher fecundity (220.8 eggs/female) and more oviposition days (37.83 days) were observed in M. usitatus compared with F. intonsa in winter (fecundity = 179.83 eggs/female, oviposition days = 33.03 days). The net and gross reproductive rates of M. usitatus were significantly greater than those of F. intonsa during winter. In addition, the intrinsic and finite rates of increase of M. usitatus were significantly lower than those of F. intonsa, and the mean generation time of M. usitatus was significantly longer than that of F. intonsa both in summer and winter. These results indicated that parthenogenesis has species specificity among thrips, which in turn affects population development, especially under changing environments.
Topics: Female; Animals; Thysanoptera; Life Tables; Population Growth; Vigna; Parthenogenesis; Ecology
PubMed: 37793039
DOI: 10.1093/jee/toad180 -
Arthropod Structure & Development Sep 2021Thysanoptera are haplo-diploid insects that reproduce either via arrhenotoky or thelytoky. Beside genetically based thelytoky, this reproduction mode can also be...
Thysanoptera are haplo-diploid insects that reproduce either via arrhenotoky or thelytoky. Beside genetically based thelytoky, this reproduction mode can also be endosymbiont induced. The recovery of these females from their infection again leads to the development of males. Functionality of these males ranges widely, and this might be associated with sperm structure. We analyzed the sperm ultrastructure in three different species belonging to both suborders with different reproduction systems via electron microscopy. Beside the different reproduction modes, and adaptations to their life style, the arrhenotokous species Suocerathrips linguis (Thysanoptera: Tubulifera) and Echinothrips americanus (Thysanoptera: Terebrantia) possess typical thysanopteran-like sperm structure. But endosymbiont-cured males from the thelytokous species Hercinothrips femoralis (Thysanoptera: Terebrantia) possess several malformed spermatozoa and a large amount of secretions in their testes. Spermiophagy seems to be typical. It indicates a highly conserved mechanism of the male developmental pathways, despite the observed decay. However, this decay would explain why in some species no stable arrhenotokous line can be re-established.
Topics: Animals; Female; Insecta; Male; Parthenogenesis; Reproduction; Spermatozoa; Thysanoptera
PubMed: 34293581
DOI: 10.1016/j.asd.2021.101084 -
GM Crops & Food Jan 2021Hybrid seeds of several important crops with supreme qualities including yield, biotic and abiotic stress tolerance have been cultivated for decades. Thus far, a major... (Review)
Review
Hybrid seeds of several important crops with supreme qualities including yield, biotic and abiotic stress tolerance have been cultivated for decades. Thus far, a major challenge with hybrid seeds is that they do not have the ability to produce plants with the same qualities over subsequent generations. Apomixis, an asexual mode of reproduction by avoiding meiosis, exists naturally in flowering plants, and ultimately leads to seed production. Apomixis has the potential to preserve hybrid vigor for multiple generations in economically important plant genotypes. The evolution and genetics of asexual seed production are unclear, and much more effort will be required to determine the genetic architecture of this phenomenon. To fix hybrid vigor, synthetic apomixis has been suggested. The development of (mitosis instead of meiosis) genotypes has been utilized for clonal gamete production. However, the identification and parental origin of genes responsible for synthetic apomixis are little known and need further clarification. Genome modifications utilizing genome editing technologies (GETs), such as clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein (cas), a reverse genetics tool, have paved the way toward the utilization of emerging technologies in plant molecular biology. Over the last decade, several genes in important crops have been successfully edited. The vast availability of GETs has made functional genomics studies easy to conduct in crops important for food security. Disruption in the expression of genes specific to egg cell () through the CRISPR/Cas genome editing system promotes the induction of haploid seed, whereas triple knockout of the () genes , and cause embryo arrest and abortion, which can be fully rescued by male-transmitted . The establishment of synthetic apomixis by engineering the genotype by genome editing of expression or disruption of leads to clonal seed production and heritability for multiple generations. In the present review, we discuss current developments related to the use of CRISPR/Cas technology in plants and the possibility of promoting apomixis in crops to preserve hybrid vigor. In addition, genetics, evolution, epigenetic modifications, and strategies for genotype development are discussed in detail.
Topics: Apomixis; CRISPR-Cas Systems; Crops, Agricultural; Gene Editing; Hybrid Vigor; Seeds
PubMed: 32877304
DOI: 10.1080/21645698.2020.1808423 -
Genomics Mar 2022Daphnia sinensis is a widespread freshwater microcrustacean. The assembled D. sinensis genome totaled 131.58 Mb with 92.23% of the assembly anchored onto 10...
Daphnia sinensis is a widespread freshwater microcrustacean. The assembled D. sinensis genome totaled 131.58 Mb with 92.23% of the assembly anchored onto 10 chromosomes. Based on the whole genome information, we further compared the transcriptomic and epigenomic characterization among parthenogenetic females, sexual females and males in D. sinensis. Transcriptomic analysis showed that the up-regulated genes in males were mainly grouped into the cuticle, sex differentiation and methyl farnesoate synthesis, which might play a pivotal role in steering development and reproduction processes. By comparison, the highly expressed genes in parthenogenetic females were mainly grouped into energy metabolism, mitosis, and DNA replication, which might contribute to maintaining rapid production of parthenogenetic females, and nutrient uptake for the growth of neonates. The whole-genome DNA methylation analysis showed that the methylation rate in parthenogenetic females was higher than that in sexual females and males, which might contribute to its rapid response to environment stress.
Topics: Animals; Biology; Daphnia; Female; Male; Parthenogenesis; Reproduction; Sex Differentiation
PubMed: 35131477
DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2022.110309 -
Biology Letters Jun 2023Over the past two decades, there has been an astounding growth in the documentation of vertebrate facultative parthenogenesis (FP). This unusual reproductive mode has...
Over the past two decades, there has been an astounding growth in the documentation of vertebrate facultative parthenogenesis (FP). This unusual reproductive mode has been documented in birds, non-avian reptiles-specifically lizards and snakes-and elasmobranch fishes. Part of this growth among vertebrate taxa is attributable to awareness of the phenomenon itself and advances in molecular genetics/genomics and bioinformatics, and as such our understanding has developed considerably. Nonetheless, questions remain as to its occurrence outside of these vertebrate lineages, most notably in Chelonia (turtles) and Crocodylia (crocodiles, alligators and gharials). The latter group is particularly interesting because unlike all previously documented cases of FP in vertebrates, crocodilians lack sex chromosomes and sex determination is controlled by temperature. Here, using whole-genome sequencing data, we provide, to our knowledge, the first evidence of FP in a crocodilian, the American crocodile, . The data support terminal fusion automixis as the reproductive mechanism; a finding which suggests a common evolutionary origin of FP across reptiles, crocodilians and birds. With FP now documented in the two main branches of extant archosaurs, this discovery offers tantalizing insights into the possible reproductive capabilities of the extinct archosaurian relatives of crocodilians and birds, notably members of Pterosauria and Dinosauria.
Topics: Animals; Alligators and Crocodiles; Biological Evolution; Genomics; Dinosaurs; Turtles; Birds; Parthenogenesis
PubMed: 37282490
DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0129 -
Uirusu 2021In insects, sex ratio bias is sometimes introduced by feminization, parthenogenesis, cytoplasmic incompatibility, or male-killing. Some intracellular bacteria such as...
In insects, sex ratio bias is sometimes introduced by feminization, parthenogenesis, cytoplasmic incompatibility, or male-killing. Some intracellular bacteria such as Wolbachia or Spiroplasma has been known as male-killing agents. Here I introduce an example of non-bacterial male-killing agent, Osugoroshi virus found in oriental tea tortrix.
Topics: Animals; DNA Viruses; Male; Moths; RNA Viruses; Sex Ratio; Spiroplasma; Symbiosis; Viruses, Unclassified; Wolbachia
PubMed: 35526996
DOI: 10.2222/jsv.71.63 -
Theriogenology Jul 2022A cDNA microarray containing 43,661 differentially expressed genes was carried out on the blastoderm of fertilized and facultative parthenogenic turkey embryos at...
A cDNA microarray containing 43,661 differentially expressed genes was carried out on the blastoderm of fertilized and facultative parthenogenic turkey embryos at different hours of development. The total number of up-regulated (UR) and down-regulated (DR) genes at 0, 12, and 24 h of development were 725 and 1436, 942 and 599, and 589 and 1044, respectively. Common genes between 0 and 12 h, 12 and 24 h, and 0 and 24 h were 55, 67, and 110, respectively. The proportion of genes showing above 50-fold UR and DR at 0, 12, and 24 h of development were 2.0% and 1.5%, 0.5% and 1.2%, and 0.2% and 1.1%, respectively. Eight UR genes were validated (APOA1, THRAP3, ARL14EP, PSAP, MOG, MYBPC2, MTIF3 and EDG4) and relative expression of six of them was significantly higher (P ≤ 0.05) in parthenogenic embryos, while two genes showed non-significant (P ≥ 0.05) variation. The expression of BCL11A, PRP4B, TCP1, and TPI1 genes was significantly (P ≤ 0.05) DR in parthenotes in the micro-array study, while the TCP1 gene was up-regulated, and there was no variation in TPI1 gene expression in the PCR validation study. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate differential expression of a large number of genes in parthenotes at different stages of embryo development compared to fertilized embryos. Up-regulation of APOA1, MYBPC2, TCP1, and THRAP3 genes, suggest their crucial role in spontaneous facultative parthenogenic development in turkey birds.
Topics: Animals; Embryonic Development; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; Parthenogenesis; Polymerase Chain Reaction
PubMed: 35436665
DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2022.03.027